Robert Merrill

Branden Vernon is a financial advisor at Steward Financial Services, LLC in Salt Lake City, UT, with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with Steward Financial Services since 2010. In addition to his advisory role, Vernon is a licensed insurance agent involved in insurance product sales. Steward Financial Services serves individuals, trusts, charities, business entities, and pension plans with fee-based portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting. The firm employs a mix of tactical allocation and passive strategies across a broad range of instruments and offers an active pension consulting practice that includes benchmarking, monitoring third-party providers, and participant education under the Pension Protection Act.

Jaron Poulson is a CFP® professional with 24 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is the principal of JHP Planning, LLC, an independent advisory firm based in Salt Lake City, UT. His prior experience includes roles at Commonwealth Financial Network and MML Investor Services. Poulson is also a licensed insurance agent conducting fixed insurance sales under his firm’s name. JHP Planning, LLC provides investment advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and pension or profit-sharing plans, offering portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and pension consulting. The firm customizes investment policy statements and employs a combination of modern portfolio theory, fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis through the AssetMark platform.

Joseph Toronto is a financial advisor at Affiliated Investment Advisors, Inc. in Draper, Utah, holding a Series 63 designation and bringing 29 years of industry experience. He has been with Affiliated Investment Advisors since 1993. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as the general manager of the American Towers Owners Association, a nonprofit condominium management organization in Salt Lake City. Affiliated Investment Advisors, Inc. is an independent, fee-only firm providing discretionary portfolio management primarily to trusts, estates, and retirement plans. The firm employs a top-down investment approach focused on macroeconomic and interest-rate analysis to guide asset allocation across various liquid, investment-grade securities, maintaining a boutique scale with institutional-style account management.

Chad Butler is a financial advisor at Harvest Lane Investment Partners, LLC with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Global Retirement Partners, Transamerica Capital, Voya Investment Management, John Hancock, and Fidelity Investments. In addition to his advisory role, he is a commissioned Notary Public. Harvest Lane Investment Partners provides investment management and financial planning services to a diverse client base, ranging from individuals and families to institutions and charitable organizations. The firm employs a contrarian, valuation-focused investment philosophy emphasizing risk management and capital preservation, utilizing a broad range of public and private instruments supported by AI-driven analytics subject to human review.

Trevor Phibbs is the sole advisor at Phibbs Financial, an independent firm based in Draper, Utah. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has seven years of industry experience. Prior to founding Phibbs Financial Services LLC in 2022, he worked at several firms including Arrowhead Retirement, AE Wealth Management, and Hornor Townsend & Kent. In addition to his advisory role, he operates Phibbs Insurance Services LLC, focusing on life insurance and annuity sales. Phibbs Financial provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, and estate-planning support to individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm offers educational seminars and uses model portfolios from the Altruist Model Marketplace to tailor investment programs implemented on a discretionary basis with ongoing due diligence and account monitoring.

Jessica Lanning is a CFP® professional with 16 years of industry experience, serving as the principal and sole advisor at Lanning Financial Inc. since 2006. In addition to her advisory role, she is president of a mortgage brokerage business and holds a life insurance license, through which she brokers life insurance and annuities when appropriate for clients. Lanning Financial Inc. primarily serves individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on comprehensive financial planning and advisory services rather than direct portfolio management. The firm selects and monitors third-party money managers, emphasizing client education and recorded meeting content, and uses flat fees for financial planning engagements.